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Gupta–Saka Wars: Difference between revisions
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File:Gupta_Kings._Skandagupta._AD_455-467.jpg|Coin of Gupta ruler [[Skandagupta]] (r.455-467), in the style of the Western Satraps.<ref name="CIC" /> | File:Gupta_Kings._Skandagupta._AD_455-467.jpg|Coin of Gupta ruler [[Skandagupta]] (r.455-467), in the style of the Western Satraps.<ref name="CIC" /> | ||
</gallery>Following these conquests, the silver coins of the Gupta kings [[Chandragupta II]] and his son [[Kumaragupta I]] adopted the Western Satrap design (itself derived from the [[Indo-Greeks]]) with bust of the ruler and pseudo-Greek inscription on the obverse, and a royal eagle ([[Garuda]], the dynastic symbol of the Guptas) replacing the [[chaitya]] hill with star and crescent on the reverse.<ref name="CIC">"Evidence of the conquest of [[Saurashtra (region)|Saurastra]] during the reign of [[Chandragupta II]] is to be seen in his rare silver coins which are more directly imitated from those of the Western Satraps... they retain some traces of the old inscriptions in Greek characters, while on the reverse, they substitute the Gupta type ... for the [[chaitya]] with crescent and star." in Rapson "A catalogue of Indian coins in the British Museum. The Andhras etc.", p.cli</ref> A tale of a climatic Battle of [[Aror|Alor]] ([[Sindh province]] of modern day [[Pakistan]]) between [[Chandragupta II|Chandragupta Vikramaditya]] and the [[Sakas]] still survived till the time of [[Alberuni]] in the 11th century CE. [[Chandragupta II|Chandragupta II's]] campaign against the [[Sakas]] was successful and the [[Western Satraps|Saka Kshatrapas]] were wiped out.{{citation needed|date=March 2024}} | </gallery>Following these conquests, the silver coins of the Gupta kings [[Chandragupta II]] and his son [[Kumaragupta I]] adopted the Western Satrap design (itself derived from the [[Indo-Greeks]]) with bust of the ruler and pseudo-Greek inscription on the obverse, and a royal eagle ([[Garuda]], the dynastic symbol of the Guptas) replacing the [[chaitya]] hill with star and crescent on the reverse.<ref name="CIC">"Evidence of the conquest of [[Saurashtra (region)|Saurastra]] during the reign of [[Chandragupta II]] is to be seen in his rare silver coins which are more directly imitated from those of the Western Satraps... they retain some traces of the old inscriptions in Greek characters, while on the reverse, they substitute the Gupta type ... for the [[chaitya]] with crescent and star." in Rapson "A catalogue of Indian coins in the British Museum. The Andhras etc.", p.cli</ref> A tale of a climatic Battle of [[Aror|Alor]] ([[Sindh province]] of modern day [[Pakistan]]) between [[Chandragupta II|Chandragupta Vikramaditya]] and the [[Sakas]] still survived till the time of [[Alberuni]] in the 11th century CE. [[Chandragupta II|Chandragupta II's]] campaign against the [[Sakas]] was successful and the [[Western Satraps|Saka Kshatrapas]] were wiped out.{{citation needed|date=March 2024}} | ||
== Subjugation of the Western Kshatraps == | |||
[[Chandragupta II|Chandragupta II's]] military campaigns against the [[Western Satraps|Western Kshatrapas]] are well-documented in historical records. Inscriptions, such as the [[Allahabad Pillar]] inscription of his father [[Samudragupta]], mention the "Shaka-Murundas" among the kings who sought to appease him. It is speculated that [[Samudragupta]] may have reduced the Shakas to a state of vassal alliance,<ref>{{cite book |last=Agrawal |first=Ashvini |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hRjC5IaJ2zcC&pg=PA315 |title=Rise and Fall of the Imperial Guptas |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |year=1989 |isbn=978-81-208-0592-7 |page=125}}</ref><ref name=Sharma1989 /> paving the way for [[Chandragupta II]] to completely subjugate them.<ref name=":2">{{cite book |last=Majumdar |first=R. C. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fWVZWjNAcAgC |title=A Comprehensive History of India. Vol. 3, Part I: A.D. 300-985 |publisher=Indian History Congress / People's Publishing House |year=1981 |location= |page=54 |isbn=978-81-7022-251-4 |oclc=34008529}}</ref> The decline of [[Western Satraps|Western Kshatrapa]] coinage towards the end of the 4th century, followed by the emergence of Gupta coinage in the region, further supports [[Chandragupta II|Chandragupta II's]] conquest.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Kulke |first1=Hermann |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RoW9GuFJ9GIC&pg=PA91 |title=A History of India |last2=Rothermund |first2=Dietmar |date=2004 |publisher=Psychology Press |isbn=978-0-415-32920-0 |pages=91 |language=en}}</ref> [[Chandragupta II]] had successfully extended his realm westward by defeating [[Rudrasimha III]] in 395. His campaign against [[Western Satraps|Western satraps]] lasted until 409.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Others |first=Muzaffar H. Syed & |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Sy5gEAAAQBAJ&dq=His+son+Kumaragupta+I+was+married+to+a+Kadamba+princess+of+the+Karnataka+region.+Chandragupta+II+expanded+his+realm+westwards%2C+defeating+the+Saka+Western+Kshatrapas+of+Malwa%2C+Gujarat+and+Saurashtra+in+a+campaign+lasting+until+409.+His+main+opponent+Rudrasimha+III+was+defeated+by+395%2C+and+he+crushed+the+Bengal+chiefdoms.&pg=PA124 |title=History of Indian Nation : Ancient India |date=2022-02-20 |publisher=K.K. Publications |pages=124 |language=en}}</ref> | |||
[[File:ChandraguptaIIOnHorse.jpg|thumb|An 8 gram gold coin featuring Chandragupta II astride a caparisoned horse with a bow in his left hand.<ref>* {{British-Museum-db|1910,0403.26|C_1910-0403-26}}</ref> The name ''Cha-gu-pta'' appears in the upper left [[Quadrant (circle)|quadrant]].]] | |||
Literary evidence, including the [[Sanskrit]] play [[Devichandraguptam]], narrates [[Chandragupta II|Chandragupta II's]] victory over the [[Western Satraps]]. According to the play, [[Chandragupta II]] disguised himself as the queen to deceive the enemy and successfully defeated a [[Western Satraps|Shaka]] chief besieging his brother's empire.<ref name=":2" /> This literary tradition, along with other Indian legends of King [[Chandragupta II|Vikramaditya's]] triumph over the [[Western Satraps|Shakas]], underscores the historical significance of [[Chandragupta II|Chandragupta II's]] conquest.<ref name=":2" /> | |||
==Reference== | ==Reference== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||